


Ready to Fall

by Skye_Maxwell



Series: Ready to Fall [2]
Category: Persona 3, Persona Series
Genre: Angst and Feels, Anxiety, Canon-Typical Violence, Flashbacks, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Koro is a good boy, M/M, Minato is a sleepy boy, Minor Injuries, Romance, Thunderstorms, Where have you been
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-08-27 18:07:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16707460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skye_Maxwell/pseuds/Skye_Maxwell
Summary: Akihiko returns to the dorm late at night after suddenly going missing for several days. He is met with mixed responses from his various SEES teammates, but there is one person whose opinion matters more to him than anyone else's. If only he could find that person...





	1. The Talk

Akihiko breathed in sharply as his fingertips brushed the cold metal of the dorm’s front door handle. Normally he would be wearing his favorite pair of gloves, but he had lost one of them during a recent Tartarus run and had been too preoccupied since then to replace it. 

Akihiko didn’t really want to run into any of them, but if he had to choose who he least wanted to encounter in the dorm lounge… Mitsuru would definitely be in second place. This fact was novelty enough, as Akihiko had once thought no one could terrify him more than her, especially when she was pissed off at him like she probably was now. No, like she _definitely_ was now. 

Not following the train of thought any further, Akihiko eased the door open and slipped inside. After a quick scan of the lounge, he was relieved to see that it was empty. 

“I wonder if they’re all in bed already,” he said quietly to himself, looking up at the clock to see just how late it was. “Or maybe they went to Tartarus tonight and they’re not back yet?” 

“Woof!” 

Akihiko heard Koromaru before he saw him, and he smiled when the dog came into view. Koromaru was the one member of SEES that he felt he could deal with right now. 

Koromaru bounded down the stairs, his tongue lolling as he made a beeline for Akihiko. 

“Slow down there, bud!” Akihiko said as Koromaru approached at top speed, but before he knew it, Koromaru was leaping toward him. 

Akihiko reflexively caught the dog in his arms, and Koromaru happily wriggled and twisted around so he could lick Akihiko. 

“Geez, boy, calm down!” Akihiko said with a laugh, lifting his chin so that Koromaru couldn’t slobber all over his face. “What, did you miss me or something?”

“Well. He certainly has had plenty of opportunities to miss you lately.” 

Akihiko and Koromaru froze in position, suddenly feeling a cold wind behind them.

Akihiko said under his breath, “Damn.”

“I take that to mean you didn’t miss me any?” 

He turned to face Mitsuru, who was standing just inside the still-open front door with her motorcycle helmet tucked under her arm. He knew that under the surface she was seething, but the only sign of emotion on her face was a small smirk on her lips. 

“You’re terrifying, you know that?” Akihiko sighed, releasing Koromaru from his arms and hoping the dog would run away before he could get caught up in Mitsuru’s wrath. 

“The ability to elicit fear has its uses,” she replied, using the sole of her boot to shut the door roughly behind her. Looking him up and down, she assessed, “You appear to be in well enough shape. I assume this means no great harm has come to you while you have been absent?”

“Why do you sound disappointed?” Akihiko asked, already starting to feel defensive even though he knew he had no right to be.

“Well, I would have hoped the only reason you would disappear for several days without any warning would be that some great incident had befallen you and not that you were just being incredibly irresponsible and inconsiderate.”

“I’m fine,” Akihiko assured her, knowing that beneath her anger was some measure of genuine concern for his well-being. “Sorry to have worried you.”

“Apology not accepted,” Mitsuru said, crossing her arms impatiently. 

“Fair enough,” Akihiko said, secretly amused by how immature the gesture looked on someone as proud as Mitsuru, but knowing full well that he should not mention the notion out loud, unless he wanted his head on a platter. Deciding to go ahead and indirectly broach the actual topic at hand, Akihiko asked warily, “Did you go to Tartarus tonight?”

“Yes, we did.”

Akihiko knew it was his own fault, but it still bothered him to not be included in that “we.” 

“How was it?”

“It was a difficult fight. Perhaps one of the most difficult to date.”

“I see,” Akihiko said guiltily. “Is everyone all right?” 

“No, not really.” A look of sadness crossed her features. “Minato got the worst of it.”

Akihiko felt the blood drain from his face. “What does that mean?” 

“Everyone should be fine after a few days’ rest, I presume,” Mitsuru clarified, somewhat settling the alarm that was beginning to build up inside Akihiko. “The ones he chose for his party tonight are quite exhausted, to say the least. He kept the same party the whole time, not returning to the first floor even once for reinforcements. Once again, the way he pushed himself was far past the point of being admirable, to the point of being reckless.”

Akihiko frowned. Before, Minato had always been incredibly strategic and sensitive to the condition of his friends. 

“Who did he choose for his party?” Akihiko asked, unable to help his curiosity.

“Takeba, Iori, and Aigis.” 

“Is that why you’re so energetic?” Akihiko asked Koromaru, who had plopped onto the floor between them and was watching their conversation with interest. 

“Woof!” Koromaru affirmed. 

“That’s strange though,” Akihiko remarked, his mind starting to whirl with strategy. “That party has two personas with largely physical attacks and two personas that are weak to electricity. His party never looks like that. He usually…”

Akihiko finally noticed that Mitsuru was giving him a particularly pointed look. 

“Oh, right,” he said dumbly. “I’m usually in his party…” 

“Always,” Mitsuru corrected. “You are always in his party. When you decide to show up, at least.” 

“You guys don’t need me,” Akihiko said, knowing it was a mistake as soon as he said it. 

Stepping toward him, Mitsuru said, “Why don’t you go say that to Minato’s face?” 

“What does this have to do with him?”

Mitsuru’s hand balled into a fist at her side, and for a second Akihiko wondered if she was actually going to punch him this time. “Seriously, Akihiko? You’re being an idiot, but that doesn’t mean I’ll allow you to play dumb with me. You don’t get to disappear for days and then show up here acting as if your actions have no consequences. Where have you been?”

“There were things I needed to take care of.”

“You had to take care of _things_?” Mitsuru repeated, eyebrows raised. “The full moon is approaching. Will those _things_ be taken care of by then? The next time we need you, will you prioritize the members of SEES or these so-called _things_?”

Akihiko hesitated, knowing he was only digging a deeper hole but not ready to disclose the whole truth to her. “It’s complicated.”

“It’s complicated? Most things that matter aren’t simple,” Mitsuru stated, looking almost disgusted at the vague statement. “Spare me any more of your pitiful excuses. My objective is to defeat the Shadows and to protect the members of SEES—to protect our _friends_. I need you on the same page, no matter what is going on in that stupid little head of yours,” she said, poking him in the forehead, “or in that stupid little heart of yours!” She then jabbed him forcefully in the chest, letting her index finger linger as she glared into his eyes at point-blank range. 

Akihiko flushed a little at her touch. It was moments like these when Mitsuru started to lose her composure that he knew he was in profound trouble. It was then that he noticed the dark circles under her eyes. Looking more closely, he realized that something about her seemed almost defeated, and he suddenly felt like it was harder to breathe. 

Mitsuru finally withdrew her hand, brushing past him and saying in a more quiet voice, “Besides him, you are our best fighter. And you are my best friend. That means you have duties to perform… on both counts. I will not accept your failure.” 

“Mitsuru, wait,” he called to her as she walked away. 

She stopped for a moment and looked over her shoulder, but she didn’t say anything. 

“I really am sorry.” 

Mitsuru gave him an appraising stare and then a slight nod of acknowledgement before saying, “Prove it.”

She then continued on her way, leaving Akihiko feeling like she had just run over his chest with her motorcycle. 

He turned to Koromaru, who was tilting his head with concern. 

“I’m sorry you had to witness that.” 

“Also!” Mitsuru suddenly called out from across the room. 

Before Akihiko’s mind even had time to register her voice, something hard crashed into the back of his head. 

“Ow!” he yelled, momentarily seeing stars. 

“Take Koromaru on a walk! You’ve got him all riled up,” Mitsuru called, already halfway up the stairs. “It’s supposed to storm soon!” 

“What?” Akihiko said with confusion as he rubbed the back of his head. 

Koromaru picked up the object in his mouth and started running in circles around Akihiko. 

“Koromaru, sit! You’re making me dizzy.” 

Koromaru obediently plopped his bottom on the floor, but his tail was still wagging wildly. 

“An umbrella?” Akihiko asked, taking the object from Koromaru’s mouth. It was Mitsuru’s giant black umbrella, rolled up. “How the hell did she throw it that far? I’m actually kind of impressed.” 

Koromaru barked in agreement. 

“I guess we’re going on a walk then?


	2. The Knock

“Actually… do you think I should go check on him first?”

Koromaru barked sharply.

“Is that a yes or a no? Bark once for no and twice for yes.”

Koromaru barked twice. 

Akihiko stared at him, dumbfounded. “Don’t tell me… you know what? Fine. I just want to make sure with my own eyes that he’s okay. We’ll make it quick. And then we can go for a walk. I mean, you and me, not me and him. Uh, let’s go.” 

Koromaru trotted alongside Akihiko toward Minato’s room. He seemed to be enjoying himself. 

Standing in front of Minato’s door, Akihiko felt his courage quickly fading away. He held his breath for a moment and knocked as gently as he could, his knuckles barely making contact with the wood. 

There was no response from inside. 

“Well, I tried,” Akihiko informed Koromaru quietly, turning swiftly on his heel to leave. “He’s probably asleep already. I shouldn’t wake him up. He’s probably fine. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.” 

Koromaru yipped and then jumped up to block Akihiko’s way. 

“Hey! Move, Koromaru,” Akihiko commanded in a hushed tone. 

Akihiko tried to step around him, but Koromaru moved to block him again, growling lightly. 

“What’s up with you? Don’t you want to go on a walk?” 

Koromaru gave a single severe bark that Akihiko could have sworn sounded disapproving. 

“Hey, be quiet! You’ll wake up the whole dorm,” Akihiko grumbled. 

Koromaru didn’t budge, and then he pointed his nose toward Minato’s door. 

“What, you’re not gonna let me pass until I talk to him? How do you even know what’s happening? You’re a dog! I think I’m losing my mind. Fine! I’ll try again.”

Akihiko returned to Minato’s door and quickly knocked several times at a volume that could actually be picked up by human ears. 

“Hey, Minato?” Akihiko called awkwardly. “It’s me, Akihiko. I just wanted to check in with you. Mitsuru said you guys-”

Akihiko’s rambling words were interrupted when a different door creaked open and a drowsy Junpei stumbled out into the hallway. 

“What’s with all the noise?” Junpei asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Akihiko-senpai? Where have you been, man?”

“I, uh,” Akihiko started uncertainly, remembering how poorly his answer had gone over with Mitsuru. 

“Well, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want. As long as you’re okay,” Junpei said earnestly, revealing he had also been concerned at Akihiko’s absence. 

“Yeah, I’m fine, thanks.”

“But why are you knocking on Minato’s door in the middle of the night?”

“No reason,” Akihiko answered defensively. “I mean, not no reason. I just wanted to check on him. Mitsuru said you guys had a rough time in Tartarus tonight.”

“Uh huh,” Junpei said suspiciously before turning to pat Koromaru’s head. “What’s up, boy?”

“Arf!”

Junpei dropped to one knee so he could pet Koromaru, but Koromaru nudged him hard with his nose, knocking him on his butt.

“Fine! Sitting it is!” Junpei laughed, sitting up and crossing his legs. Koromaru immediately flopped across his lap, wiggling around as Junpei scratched behind his ears. “He’s not in there. I already checked.”

“Huh?” Akihiko said, having been distracted from the task at hand. “I mean, you did?”

“Yep! Every night I knock on his door and ask him for a toothbrush. I don’t know why, but I can never keep track of my own. There’s just something about me and toothbrushes…”

Akihiko grimaced, more than a little disgusted. “You ask him every night… and he gives it to you?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t he? Anyways, I just knocked a minute ago, and he didn’t answer.”

Akihiko narrowed his eyes and muttered, “How do you know he’s not just ignoring you?”

“He always opens the door for his main man Junpei! Even when he’s already asleep, he gets up, opens the door, chucks the toothbrush at me, and then slams the door in my face!” Junpei gave a hearty laugh and asked Koromaru, “I guess he must really like me, huh, boy?”

Koromaru panted and wagged his tail.

Akihiko fidgeted with his collar, looking at the wall opposite Minato’s door. “Well, if he’s not here, then where is he?”

Junpei shrugged, moving on to scratching Koromaru’s belly. “I don’t know, man.”

“Shouldn’t you know where your best friend is?”

“I’m not his keeper. Where is _your_ best friend?”

“She’s in her dorm room, probably planning the next projectile she’s going to throw at me,” Akihiko said, rubbing the back of his head. “Didn’t all of you come back from Tartarus together?”

“Nope. When we were leaving, Minato told everyone to go on ahead of him. Mitsuru rode off on her motorcycle in a huff, and the rest of us kinda limped our way here. I thought Minato might be back by now, but it looks like he’s not.” 

Junpei stopped petting Koromaru for a moment, which caused Koromaru to whine loudly. Junpei sighed and started petting Koromaru again absentmindedly, his thoughts seeming to be elsewhere. 

He added, “I was just kidding about all that main man stuff. He’s pretty much everyone’s best friend in this whole city. I’m just the annoying guy who happens to be around him a lot.”

Something about seeing Junpei sad, even for a moment, unsettled Akihiko.

Koromaru seemed to sense it too, because he raised his head and licked Junpei’s cheek. 

“Hey, man, don’t get all introspective on me,” Akihiko tried. “That’s not like you.”

Junpei looked up at Akihiko, and a grin slowly returned to his face. “You know what? You’re right! I’m thinking too hard, and everybody knows thinking hard is for people who don’t have looks like these!” he exclaimed, pointing to himself with both thumbs. 

Akihiko groaned, wishing he had never tried to cheer Junpei up.

“Okay, that’s enough. Let’s go, boy,” Akihiko said gruffly, walking swiftly away from Minato’s door and past Junpei. 

“Where are we going?” Junpei asked happily. 

Akihiko turned to shoot Junpei a look, but his expression softened when he heard Junpei’s muffled chuckling as he pressed his face into Koromaru’s fur.

“Ha. He thought I was serious. Ha ha. I’m so tired! Heh…”

Akihiko walked back to Junpei and grabbed his forearm, pulling him up off the ground. 

“Oh, are we really going somewhere?” Junpei asked as Akihiko dragged him back toward his dorm room. 

“You’re delirious. You’re going to bed.” 

“But- but I haven’t brushed my teeth yet! Mom will be so mad…”

Akihiko pushed Junpei through the doorway, saying, “I won’t tell her if you don’t.” 

Junpei slumped against the door frame, yawning dramatically. “Thanks, man! You’re a real pal. And about Tartarus… tonight was a hard fight. Hate to admit it, but we really could’ve used you. All of us…”

“I’m sure you gave it your all, Junpei.”

“Yeah, I did. But my _all_ and your _all_ are different. Don’t make me say it.”

“I get it,” Akihiko said guiltily, not meeting Junpei’s gaze. 

“Good.”

Junpei suddenly clapped a hand on Akihiko’s shoulder, forcing Akihiko to look him in the eyes. 

“Hey. When you do find him… Good luck, man.” 

Something about Junpei’s serious, knowing expression made warmth rise up in Akihiko’s cheeks. 

“What are you talking about?” Akihiko asked, but Junpei had already removed his hand from Akihiko’s shoulder and was pushing his door closed. 

Just before the door was completely shut, Junpei smirked and said through the crack, “Yeah yeah, I forgot. A guy like you doesn’t need luck.” 

Before Akihiko could question Junpei further, the door clicked shut. 

Akihiko looked down at Koromaru and asked, “What was that supposed to mean?”

Koromaru tilted his head. 

“Right. I shouldn’t try and understand Junpei,” Akihiko said, shaking Junpei’s comment off. “Let’s go for that walk, huh?” 

Koromaru nudged the back of Akihiko’s knee as if to push him forward. 

Akihiko cracked a smile, and then he rolled his shoulders to relieve some of the tension he had been feeling. 

“Yeah, a walk will do both of us some good,” he concluded, following after his furry friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be longer, with flashbacks, because who doesn't like a good flashback?


	3. The Walk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't already, check out the prequel to this story called "Like a Lunatic." I wrote this fic first but then felt like Akihiko and Minato's relationship needed some more context, so then I wrote a one-shot prequel. 
> 
> Anyways, let's go on a walk!

Koromaru appeared to be having the time of his life, frolicking through the sprinkle of raindrops and rolling around in the Shrine’s puddles. 

“I’m almost jealous of how carefree you are,” Akihiko said from under Mitsuru’s umbrella. 

He scanned the surrounding area again, just as he had already done dozens of times throughout the duration of their walk. 

Seeing nothing of interest, he groaned at himself for expecting Minato to pop up out of nowhere. But if he had left Tartarus and wasn’t at the dorm, he had to be somewhere outside, right?

“Damn it,” Akihiko said aloud, realizing that Minato might have been going through the same thing the whole time Akihiko had been gone. Except it had to be a hundred times worse, considering what had happened between them the last time they went to Tartarus together.

* * *

Akihiko was not on top of his game, and he knew it. It didn’t help that Minato had chosen to engage in a battle with a particularly difficult Shadow even though they had already fought through what felt like countless numbers of Tartarus’ floors that night. 

It only took a few rounds with this Shadow for everyone’s health to drop to dangerously low levels. Akihiko looked to Yukari, who had been strictly on healing duty, and she looked like she was barely able to stay standing. Mitsuru had both hands clasped around the hilt of her sword, but the whole sword was shaking in her grip. Minato’s entire posture was rigid, and his jaw was clenched tightly. It was so different from his usual calm, relaxed state that he almost looked like a different person. They were all exhausted and one well-placed hit away from being knocked out. 

It wasn’t the exhaustion that was distracting Akihiko though; he could push through the exhaustion. 

After barely dodging a powerful strike from the enemy, Akihiko watched as the Shadow moved on to Yukari. She weakly raised her head to glare defiantly into its eyes, but a second later, the Shadow delivered a blow that sent her flying backwards and skidding against the floor. 

“Yukari!” he yelled roughly, the sight of her getting knocked out inducing a feeling of nausea in the pit of his stomach. 

“Focus, Akihiko!” Mitsuru commanded as she braced herself against the oncoming attack. 

The enemy attacked her weak point, knocking her to the ground. She was still conscious, much to Akihiko’s relief, but if he or Minato didn’t heal her as soon as possible, she was done for. 

Akihiko looked to Minato so they could decide their next move, but Minato’s mind was somewhere else entirely.

“Persona!” 

Akihiko’s eyes widened as yet another new Persona emerged from Minato. Akihiko couldn’t help his mouth from falling slightly open as he watched her fluttering in the air and getting ready to make a move. She had long, flowing hair and was wearing a long, flowing dress, but the most beautiful thing about her was her expression. Even though she was tiny, she looked calm and confident and almost regal, as if she could release an airy laugh at any moment. Just looking at her, Akihiko could almost believe that this battle was already won, because anything else would simply be beneath her. 

Suddenly Minato’s gaze flicked to Akihiko, and then just as quickly his gaze switched to Mitsuru. Seeing his conflicted expression, Akihiko instantly understood that Minato was trying to choose which one of them to heal.

Mitsuru suddenly yelled, “Heal _me!”_

Minato gave Mitsuru a confused frown as she struggled to her feet. 

That was not like her, to demand that she be healed over someone else in the party, especially when it made more sense strategically for Akihiko to stay in the battle. The enemy knew her weakness and had already exploited it, and Akihiko’s attacks were stronger. 

Minato looked to Akihiko again, and Akihiko gave him a quick nod. He didn’t know Mitsuru’s reasoning in that moment, but he trusted her. 

Minato returned the nod and then instructed his new Persona to heal Mitsuru. 

“Diarahan,” Akihiko murmured in awe of Minato’s new ability, even as he braced himself for a blow to the head that sent him crumpling to the ground.

* * *

Akihiko’s eyes shot open, and he instinctively jumped to his feet just in time to witness Minato folding forward and crashing to his knees. Minato was breathing heavily and drenched in sweat, and a trickle of blood was spilling from the corner of his mouth. The new persona he had summoned just before Akihiko was knocked out regarded Akihiko loftily and then disappeared with a flutter of her wings. 

Akihiko scanned the battlefield. Yukari was still out cold, as was Mitsuru. There was only one Shadow left, and it was now turning to Minato, who was trembling as he tried to get back on his feet. He looked like he was about to throw up, and Akihiko recognized that he must have been poisoned. 

“You idiot,” Akihiko grumbled, pulling out his Evoker as he broke into a sprint toward Minato and dived in front of him. 

The Shadow charged toward them, crashing into Akihiko and driving him back into Minato. 

“Persona!” Akihiko yelled as they both fell, pulling the trigger and casting his strongest electricity spell. The air around them thickened with static as the Shadow writhed in pain and then dissolved into nothingness. 

Akihiko rolled off of Minato and then jumped back up, using the last of his energy to heal his three teammates in quick succession as best as he could.

Mitsuru was the first one to her feet, and she immediately ran over to Yukari.

While Mitsuru helped Yukari to her feet, Akihiko dismissed his persona and fell to his knees at Minato’s side.

“Shit,” Akihiko said through the painful haze of his own injuries, seeing that Minato’s eyes were closed and his only movement was the labored breathing that made his chest rise and fall. “Hey, Minato? Can you hear me?”

Not knowing what to do, Akihiko fumbled to remove his right glove, and then he wiped hastily at the blood that had trickled down Minato’s neck from his mouth, as if that would erase the damage that had been done. All he ended up doing was smearing the bright red blood across Minato’s pale skin and his own shaking fingertips.

Minato suddenly clutched his stomach and turned his head to the side, blood spraying out with a nasty cough that wracked his entire frame.

“Sit up, man,” Akihiko ordered, wincing against the volume of his own voice.

Minato’s eyes opened slowly, regarding Akihiko wearily as he was pulled into a sitting position. 

“Minato! Are you okay?” Yukari asked, struggling to stay upright even as Mitsuru wrapped an arm around her, supporting her weight. 

“Yeah. I’m fine. Just need a minute,” Minato replied, wiping at his blood with his sleeve and then looking to Mitsuru. “Get her out of here.”

“Right,” Mitsuru said with a nod. “Our communications with the rest of the team were cut off mid-battle, but that should have been the last Shadow on this floor. I will take Takeba back to the entrance. Akihiko, stay with him until he can get back on his feet.”

“I’ve got him,” Akihiko replied, exchanging an understanding nod with Mitsuru. “Be careful.”

“I assume you remember the way back to the terminal?”

“We’ll be right behind you.”

“All right. Let’s go, Takeba.”

As soon as the girls disappeared down the hallway, Minato heaved a sigh and then collapsed backwards, returning to a lying position. 

“Hey! What’s wrong?”

Staring up at the ceiling, Minato said slowly, “I… am not okay.” 

“You just told Yukari you were fine!”

“I lied.”

Akihiko rolled his eyes, but Minato didn’t notice. 

“Hey, Aki, can you prop my head up?”

Akihiko started at the use of such a casual nickname. “Huh? Why?”

“So I don’t choke on my own blood.” 

“Prop it up with what?”

“Didn’t you bring any pillows with you?”

“Why would I bring… Are you joking right now? Stop that.” Minato’s humor was difficult for Akihiko to decipher on a normal day, but now with what was probably a mild concussion, it seemed nearly impossible.

Minato suddenly turned his head sideways and coughed violently, followed by a raspy chuckle. 

In one swift motion, Akihiko adjusted himself into a sitting position, then lifted Minato’s head and dropped it into his lap. 

Akihiko grumbled, “I can never tell when you’re kidding.”

“I know,” Minato said with obvious amusement, looking up at Akihiko. 

In his frustration, Akihiko disclosed, “You’ve got the whole team worried. We all warned you that you were pushing too hard. And what was that stunt you just pulled? You revived me when you were poisoned instead of healing yourself?”

Minato shrugged. “It worked out.”

“Yeah, but what if it hadn’t? You should know better than to take risks like that. What’s gotten into you? 

“You sound like Mitsuru.”

“Well… she’s usually right. Just know that I might not always be there to save your ass if you get reckless again, okay?”

“Mhm,” Minato hummed absently as he adjusted his head on Akihiko’s leg, turning his face away from Akihiko’s and closing his eyes. 

“Hey, don’t fall asleep. We can’t stay here forever.”

“Staying forever… sounds nice…”

Minato’s expression was oddly peaceful as he began to doze off.

Sure, Mitsuru had said that was the last Shadow on this floor, but they had just been in a battle that almost wiped all of them out, and the end of the Midnight Hour was approaching. What was there to be peaceful about?

Even still, Minato’s serenity calmed Akihiko, as it often did. 

Just like that, Akihiko was no longer concerned with battle strategies or escape routes or anything that had seemed so pressing a moment ago. There was no need to hide his stare, so Akihiko watched Minato freely, entranced by the slow rise and fall of his breaths. 

Akihiko wasn’t used to people touching him (unless they were trying to knock him out in a boxing ring), but Minato had been quietly invading his personal space more and more as of late. This wouldn’t be the first time Minato had fallen asleep on him; after a particularly long day the week before, he had fallen asleep on Akihiko’s shoulder in the dorm lounge. 

Akihiko had to wonder if this sort of thing could be normal between close friends. Not counting his sister, the only other close friends he’d ever had were Mitsuru and Shinji, and both were the definition of cold and unaffectionate. Miki was different though; she was always clinging to him—dragging him around by his hand, giving and receiving piggyback rides, hugging him so hard he could barely breathe… he missed that. 

Normally any thought of his sister came with a wave of guilt, but in that moment Akihiko only felt peace. He was sure that was only possible because of Minato’s presence. 

Barely raising his voice above a whisper, Akihiko asked, “How do you do that?”

Minato slowly opened his eyes, turning his unfocused gaze toward Akihiko. 

He squinted for a moment and then blinked heavily before a warm smile lit up his face, making Akihiko’s breath hitch.

“Why are you smiling?” Akihiko asked.

“Because you are.”

It was such a simple statement, and yet it made Akihiko feel a deep, almost unsettling sense of happiness that he had no way of expressing with words. A dull heat like lazy electricity started in his chest and traveled down his arms and up his neck, until his hands and face felt heavy with warmth. 

“Minato…” Akihiko said senselessly, his breaths becoming increasing shallow. 

Akihiko felt as if an internal weight was compelling his face slowly toward Minato’s. Once Minato noticed, he seemed to fully wake up, his round eyes swiftly cycling through what appeared to be confusion, disbelief, fascination, and then… eagerness? 

Akihiko felt like he was going to die. 

When he was close enough to feel Minato’s short breaths against his mouth, his eyes started to flutter shut.

“Wait,” Minato whispered hoarsely, his hand cupping the side of Akihiko’s face and pushing him back a bit. He cleared his throat and then said more urgently, “Akihiko, stop.”

“Huh?” Akihiko breathed, his heart sinking. 

“Something’s coming.”

“What’s coming?” Akihiko asked, but then he heard it—the unmistakable rattle of chains. And then he felt it—the pervasive fear that only accompanied the presence of the Reaper. “ _Shit_.”

Minato was the first to jump up, and then he grabbed Akihiko, hoisting him off the ground. 

“Run!”

They took off in the direction of the terminal, both slowed by the night’s injuries but able to sprint forward with a burst of adrenaline. 

“Shit!” Akihiko yelled, wincing as pain shot through his skull where he’d been hit by the last Shadow. His vision was fuzzy at the edges as they approached an intersection and he tried to remember the way to the terminal. “Which way was it?”

“This way!” Minato yelled decidedly, shoving Akihiko to the left. 

As the pounding of their heavy footsteps echoed down the impossibly long corridor, Akihiko began to feel a disturbing sense of dread. Normally Akihiko was unfazed when it came to fighting through the floors of Tartarus; he tended to see battles with Shadows as training sessions rather than life-or-death situations.

This was different, however. The sound of the chains rattling behind him was enough to set his heart racing, but as the Reaper drew nearer, its presence seemed to be reaching out to Akihiko with invisible hands. It was gradually starting to affect every part of him: his limbs felt heavier, his skin was soaked in a cold sweat, his throat felt tight, and his eyes were burning. Anxiety unlike anything he had felt in years crept into his mind, and his only defense was to will his legs to run faster. 

They were close to the terminal now, and Minato was thankfully keeping up, only a step behind Akihiko. 

Then Minato was suddenly no longer by his side, and Akihiko had to skid to an abrupt stop to prevent himself from diving into the terminal alone. 

“What the hell are you _doing?”_ he shouted, turning to see Minato a few feet behind him, staring fixatedly over his shoulder.

Akihiko glanced down the corridor and saw a glimpse of the Reaper, but he immediately tore his gaze away, his body recoiling against seeing his fears in such a solid form. 

He lunged toward Minato and grabbed his arm. “Hey! Snap out of it!” 

When Minato barely budged, almost looking like he was in a trance and wanted to go _toward_ the Reaper, Akihiko clamped down on Minato’s arm with both hands and yanked him forcefully toward the terminal. 

They were enveloped in the green glow for a moment, and then they were standing by the grand staircase in the entrance to Tartarus. 

Akihiko scanned the area with wild eyes, straining to hear the grating of those chains but coming up with nothing. 

“I think we’re safe,” Akihiko stated, sounding way too weak for his own liking and not quite believing his own statement. He continued to scan their surroundings, his head swimming with a paranoia that made his legs feel unsteady.

As soon as he was absolutely sure they were alone, Akihiko turned his focus squarely on Minato. 

Besides being hunched over and out of breath, Minato looked completely lost, eyes swimming with confusion. Akihiko was still gripping his forearm with one hand, not sure that Minato wouldn’t topple over if he let him go.

“Why’d you stop running?” Akihiko asked, tilting his head a bit to get Minato to look him in the eye.

Minato seemed to be collecting himself as he looked up at Akihiko, an unfamiliar fear in his expression. “I… I don’t know. Something about him, about the Reaper, felt… familiar?”

“Familiar?”

“I don’t know why, but it felt like… part of me belonged with him,” Minato admitted. He seemed genuinely disturbed by his own words.

“Are you gonna be okay?”

“I don’t know,” Minato said again, sapped of his usual self-assurance. “Akihiko, I’m…” 

Akihiko was captivated by the way Minato said his name, and he was immediately transported back to the moment the two of them had been having before the Reaper interrupted. “Yeah?”

“Tired,” Minato said dismally, taking a step forward and pressing his heated forehead into Akihiko’s shoulder.

It felt like Minato was deflating as he let himself relax against Akihiko, lazily hooking his arms around Akihiko’s back. 

Akihiko’s ungloved hand landed on the back of Minato’s head, and he left it there, his shaking fingers threading through the sweaty blue locks. 

Akihiko said gently, “You can sleep soon.”

Minato nodded, burying his face deeper into Akihiko’s shirt. 

Akihiko could barely think, let alone come up with something helpful to say, but Minato seemed to be out of words as well.

Akihiko did his best to stand firm so Minato could fully rest his weight against him, pleased that Minato felt comfortable relying on his strength, even when Akihiko still felt unsteady himself. He allowed himself to close his eyes for a moment, breathing in and out slowly, reveling in Minato’s scent and how mesmerizing it was to simply be in such close proximity to a human being as fascinating as him. 

It was then that Akihiko finally began to understand what Minato had meant earlier when he said staying forever sounded nice.

* * *

Akihiko was shaken out of his reverie when Koromaru whined and pawed at his leg. 

“Oh, sorry, boy,” Akihiko said, squatting down to pet Koromaru’s head. “Got lost in my thoughts there.” 

Koromaru seemed forgiving enough as Akihiko scratched behind his ears. 

“And after all of that happened, Minato and I walked home in silence,” Akihiko thought aloud. “I didn’t know what to say. Once we were out of Tartarus, I could finally think straight again, and I remembered to be embarrassed…”

Koromaru put his front paws up on Akihiko’s leg and then swiped a warm, slobbery lick across Akihiko’s cheek.

“Ha, I’m okay,” Akihiko assured the dog, wiping his face with his sleeve. “We went our separate ways at the dorm, but then I couldn’t sleep all night, so right as the sun was coming up, I left. I had to get away, from him and everyone and school and Tartarus, so I could figure out what was happening, and what I wanted to happen. And…”

Seemingly out of nowhere, the rain went from a light sprinkle to a roaring downpour. Akihiko stood, tilting the umbrella to look up at the dark, foreboding sky and silently hoping that Minato had made his way to the dorm or at least someplace where he wasn’t caught up in this storm. 

“Woof!”

“Yeah, let’s go home. Stay close, okay? We don’t want you completely soaked,” Akihiko instructed, and Koromaru stayed obediently by his side as they started to make their way back to the dorm.


	4. The Lock

A particularly vigorous gust of wind nearly wrenched the door handle from Akihiko’s grasp as he held the front door open and attempted to shake out Mitsuru’s umbrella. 

“Shit,” Akihiko said as Koromaru ran in through the opening, his coat dripping despite their best intentions. 

Akihiko had to ram his shoulder into the door against the wind just to get it shut. Then the entire area of the dorm lounge suddenly felt too calm and too quiet, as if he had entered some sort of strange vacuum. 

“I’ve gotta give this back to her…”

He looked down to Mitsuru’s umbrella still clutched in his hands, defeatedly shaking it a bit and watching it make a small pool on the carpet at his feet. 

Koromaru followed suit by shaking out his coat, thoroughly spraying Akihiko in the process.

“Aw, come on, Koromaru,” Akihiko grumbled, immediately unbuttoning his wet jacket so he could peel it off and then tossing it on the ground. 

Koromaru happily stuck his face in the wet fabric, sniffing it all over. Just as suddenly, Koromaru stuck his nose in the air and sniffed heavily, and then he broke into a run toward the stairs. 

“Hey, where are you going?” Akihiko called, jogging after his loyal companion. 

“Woof!” 

“Hey there, boy,” Yukari said, her voice quieter and more raspy than usual. “Your fur is wet.” 

When Akihiko came into view and their eyes met, all Yukari said before looking away was, “Oh.” 

Yukari was standing on the stairs, one hand braced against the wall and the other hand weakly patting Koromaru’s head. 

Akihiko was surprised by how her short, dispassionate response to seeing him was enough to make him feel completely worthless.

“Down, boy,” Akihiko commanded, and Koromaru obediently took his paws off Yukari and sat down on the stair next to her. 

Yukari descended another step with some difficulty, then another, until Akihiko offered, “Do you need some help?” 

“No,” Yukari snapped, but then she sighed, her shoulders sagging. “Actually… can you just help me sit down?”

“Yeah, of course,” Akihiko said, dropping Mitsuru’s umbrella and ducking under Yukari’s arm so it could rest on his shoulders. 

“I thought I’d be able to make it all the way downstairs, but it looks like I was wrong.”

“It’s okay. Just lean on me.”

Yukari allowed her weight to rest against Akihiko’s side, and Akihiko gently lowered both of them down until they were sitting side-by-side on one of the steps. 

“Thank you,” Yukari said flatly, withdrawing her arm from his shoulders. She only briefly regarded the now-damp spot on her pink sleeve from where she had touched him before she distinctly leaned away from him and against the wall. 

Koromaru tried to wedge himself in between the two of them, so Akihiko scooted over to give him some space. Koromaru plopped himself down and gently rested his head and front paws on Yukari’s lap, looking up into her face with round, understanding eyes. 

“You really are a good boy,” Yukari said, her voice cracking a bit.

The three of them sat in silence for a while, the only sound the lazy swishing of Koromaru’s tail as Yukari scratched behind his ears. 

Yukari finally said, “Akihiko-senpai?” 

Akihiko moved his gaze from the darkened lobby to the side of her face, which was partially concealed by her hair.

“Yeah?” he said, bracing himself for another lecture, which he didn’t really care for but knew he probably deserved. 

“Where have you been?”

Akihiko clasped his hands tightly in his lap, not sure why the particular way she asked that question made him feel so tense. “I’ve been… avoiding some things that I wasn’t ready to deal with.”

Yukari asked cautiously, “Avoiding some things… and some people?” 

Realizing he was being called out, Akihiko confirmed guardedly, “Yeah… one person in particular.”

Yukari nodded thoughtfully. “We kinda figured that was the case.”

“We?”

“Honestly, Senpai, you can’t go MIA and then expect people not to talk.”

“Right,” Akihiko said, rubbing his temples with his fingertips. 

“Especially people who care about you,” Yukari threw out more quietly. “God, I’m so _tired_ ,” Yukari continued hoarsely, almost sounding like she was about to cry. “I tried to sleep, but I couldn’t. Everything hurts so much, and I’ve just been so worried… I decided to come down here and sit in the lobby for a while, but I couldn’t even manage that.” 

Akihiko’s heart broke a little. Yukari was always so fiery and strong; he hated to see her sapped of the energy and resolve that made her who she was. 

“I can help you the rest of the way down if you want,” Akihiko offered. “Or if you want to go back to your room, I can help you back up there.”

Yukari shook her head. “That’s _not_ what I need from you right now.”

Akihiko frowned. “What do you need?”

“I need you to talk to him. I can’t pretend to know what’s going on inside his head, but I do know that he’s been sad. Are you really okay with that, Senpai?”

Akihiko shook his head. “No, I’m not.”

“Well, good. Because I’m not okay with it either. Seeing him get beat up in Tartarus is bad enough, but somehow seeing him sad is ten times worse. Part of me is really angry at you for causing that… but then another part of me hates seeing you sad too. Both of you are good, level-headed people. I think if you just talk things out, it’ll be okay. At the very least, you’ll get some clarity, and I think that’s what both of you need right now, so you can move forward.” 

Akihiko wasn’t sure how much Yukari knew about his and Minato’s situation, but apparently she knew enough.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Akihiko said.

“Huh?” Yukari said in surprise. “I mean, I know I’m right, but I didn’t think you knew.”

“I know; you’re right. I’m sorry I worried you. But everything I wasn’t ready to deal with before—I’m ready to deal with it now.” 

Yukari turned and stared intently into his eyes, making him squirm internally under her scrutiny, but to his relief, her expression came away with the tiniest bit of hope in the dimness. 

“You know…” Yukari said tentatively, “…the whole time you’ve been gone, every time I see him, his eyes are just kinda, searching. I think, all that time, he was just looking for you.”

Akihiko felt a faint heat starting to build up in his cheeks. “Well, I think it’s about time I let him find me.”

Yukari nodded. “I think so too.”

Koromaru panted in Akihiko’s direction, presumably in agreement. 

Yukari then added in quickly, “Or, you know, you could just go find him yourself.”

“I wish,” Akihiko said wistfully. “I’ve been looking for him. Mitsuru and Junpei didn’t know where he is, he’s not in his room, and Koromaru and I didn’t see him outside on our walk. I don’t know-”

“He’s on the roof,” Yukari interrupted. 

“What?” Akihiko asked anxiously. “Why? How do you know?” 

“I passed him a little while ago on my way downstairs. He didn’t say much, just that he was heading up to the roof.”

Akihiko’s heart pounded painfully at the fact that he now knew where to find Minato. 

“I thought the door to the roof was locked,” Akihiko said, recalling that Ikutsuki-san was going to take care of that after Minato’s initial incident on the rooftop. 

“Senpai, do you really think a locked door is gonna stop him?” 

“Right. I guess not.”

“So… are you really gonna go talk to him?” she asked, voice wavering as if now she was the nervous one. 

“Yeah,” Akihiko said, gathering his resolve. Speaking in a more clipped manner, he reaffirmed, “Yes, I am going to go talk to him.” 

Yukari’s frown faded, only to be replaced by a delicate smile. “You should go ahead, then. Don’t keep him waiting any longer.”

“What about you?” 

“I’m fine; don’t worry about me,” she said, pulling Koromaru closer. “The two of us are just gonna sit here for a little while.”

“If you’re really okay… all right,” Akihiko said, standing and turning to go up the stairs.

“Wait!”

Akihiko paused, his hand on the railing, and he noticed that Yukari looked rather uncomfortable and was starting to blush. 

“Senpai, I’m just gonna go ahead and put this out there, for his sake. I don’t know exactly what’s going on between you two, but at least for Minato… it seems like a matter of the heart. So if you’re gonna let him down, please… just let him down easy.”

Akihiko shook his head, smiling faintly. “I’m not gonna let him down.”

“Oh,” Yukari said slowly, her eyes wide and a full-blown blush now adorning her cheeks. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Akihiko nodded. “I think so.”

Yukari closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall. She hugged Koromaru to her chest, and with a hint of strain in her voice, she said, “Well, in that case… go get him.”

Koromaru woofed happily. 

Suddenly more self-conscious than he was a moment ago, Akihiko replied, “I’ll see you later. And Yukari?”

“Yeah?” she asked, opening her eyes curiously.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she whispered, and then she buried her face in Koromaru’s fur. 

And with that, Akihiko took off up the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go! I will post it at the end of the week. Thank you for reading!


	5. The Shock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I actually spent about two years working on this fic (on and off), barely writing anything else during that time. It was meant as a birthday gift for one of my friends who got me into Persona, and for her, I really wanted to do these characters and this ship justice. I can honestly say this fic is the most lovingly, painstakingly-crafted thing I have ever written. As a writer, I feel like this was an important process for me, but I am also relieved that it is over so I can move forward. Anyways, please enjoy this last chapter!

Clutching Mitsuru’s umbrella, Akihiko bounded up the stairs two at a time. When he reached the fourth floor, he saw that the door to the rooftop was just barely propped open with a brick, and the sight of it made him feel abnormally winded, as if he just couldn’t get quite enough air into his lungs. 

Right next to the door was Minato’s blazer in a crumpled heap, and placed neatly on top of the blazer was something shiny that caught Akihiko’s eye. Giving his heart a moment to slow down, Akihiko walked closer, grinning when he saw just how carefully Minato had wound the cords of his beloved mp3 player and headphones. 

“That’s just like you.”

He collected himself for a moment while he fondly took in the sight of Minato’s possessions, and then he calmly pushed the door open, allowing that familiar roaring sound of the rain to flood into the quiet space he had just inhabited. 

And there he was. 

“Minato?” Akihiko breathed, feeling both relieved and worried as he saw Minato standing near the far edge of the roof, staring up into the darkness of the sky. 

In that little moment he felt disturbingly invisible, as if he could just turn around and walk away, and it would be as if he had never been there. But that’s not what Akihiko wanted. Akihiko’s resolve to face Minato had only grown since his return to the dorm; now all he wanted was to be heard by him and seen by him.

“Minato!” Akihiko shouted over the sound of wind whipping around them and the heavy raindrops hitting the rooftop.

Despite his resolve, Akihiko’s stomach clenched uncomfortably when Minato’s head turned. He looked over his shoulder with round eyes, quickly regarding Akihiko and just as quickly turning back away.

Akihiko willed his feet to move forward, and he took his place beside Minato, whose blank gaze was directed at the dark expanse above him. 

When Minato didn’t look at him, Akihiko took the opportunity to examine Minato’s profile. The first thing that caught his eye was a swollen red bruise along the length of Minato’s jaw, and the second was the way Minato was blinking away the raindrops that lighted on his long eyelashes. 

After a moment, Akihiko remembered where he was and that he was holding an umbrella in his hand. He stiffly extended his arm toward Minato and popped the umbrella open over Minato’s head instead of his own. 

“Here, take this,” he said lamely. 

At first Minato didn’t move, not removing his hands from his pockets to take the umbrella. Akihiko started to wonder how long Minato was going to make him stand there like that without saying anything. 

Suddenly, Minato reached up to grip Akihiko’s hand that was holding the umbrella. His fingers slipped against Akihiko’s wet skin as he pushed the umbrella away from himself so that it was over Akihiko again. Then he pointedly stepped sideways so they were both under its wide canopy.

“It’s big enough for both of us,” Minato pointed out. 

“R-right,” Akihiko acknowledged, embarrassed that he hadn’t thought of that but also relieved that Minato was at least not opposed to being near him. Minato’s hand had been cold, and the feeling of it lingered on Akihiko’s skin.

Finding that he was not ready to broach the major subject at hand just yet, Akihiko blurted out, “Do you really let Junpei use your toothbrush?”

A flicker of surprise flashed across Minato’s face, but he immediately regained his composure. “How disgusting do you think I am?” 

“Uh, I don’t know? I have no idea how disgusting you are!” Akihiko stammered, “Wait, that- that didn’t come out right.”

Minato explained evenly, “I keep a box of disposable toothbrushes in my room for him. He always loses his own toothbrush.”

“Oh. So, you’ve never shared your own personal toothbrush with him?”

Minato shook his head. 

“Well, that’s a relief.” 

“I’m glad the state of my oral hygiene pleases you,” Minato said, the slightest hint of teasing in his voice.

Akihiko looked back over his shoulder, wondering just how quickly he could sprint to the roof door, just in case stupid things kept coming out of his mouth. 

When he looked back to Minato, he was scanning the horizon, as if he was looking for something specific in the darkness. 

After another uncomfortable bout of silence, Akihiko found himself asking, “What are you doing up here?” 

“I heard there was going to be a big thunderstorm.”

“Isn’t standing on a rooftop in a storm a little reckless?”

Minato shrugged. “I like lightning.”

To Akihiko’s surprise, a gentle little smile appeared on Minato’s face.

“What do you like about it?”

“I like… how if you really pay attention, you can feel it coming. The atmosphere is heavy, and there’s this feeling of expectation. And then when it strikes, the energy is just… raw and explosive, and you know you should probably look away, but you can’t. Because it’s beautiful.” 

“Beautiful?”

Akihiko couldn’t quite wrap his head around the notion. In Tartarus, lightning was simply a tool that he used; it was the primary weapon he wielded against the Shadows, and occasionally that same weapon was wielded against him. 

Though maybe it _was_ beautiful, and Akihiko had just never taken notice before. He had never had much of an eye for beauty. Perhaps that was just another thing Minato possessed that he did not. 

Yet, as Akihiko looked to Minato’s profile once again, he was sure the lovely, somewhat pained expression on his upturned face had been pulled from a painting. 

Still, his gaze lingered on the bruise on Minato’s jawline, wondering what kind of Shadow had gotten close enough to land that blow. And then he had to wonder if that was the only damage that had been done.

A huge arc of lightning cut through the sky off to their right, and Minato perked up, pointing in the direction of the lightning.

“That tower the lightning was near is about 6 miles away,” Minato said quickly, “so thunder is going to hit in 3, 2, 1-”

The thunder struck, and Minato stole the briefest glance at Akihiko, smirking at his surprised reaction.

“That was… precise,” Akihiko said, wishing that Minato hadn’t looked away again so quickly. “You must do this a lot.” 

“Heh, I guess.”

It had to be obvious at this point that Akihiko was openly staring at Minato, but Akihiko could only assume the worst when Minato steadfastly refused to return his gaze. 

Akihiko knew that what he said next would be opening the door to what could be an incredibly uncomfortable conversation, but he also knew that it had to be done, since the tension between them was more than he could stand. 

Akihiko finally asked, “Are you upset with me?”

Minato’s eye twitched a little, but he still didn’t turn to look at Akihiko. After a moment of contemplation, he said, “No, not exactly.”

Akihiko almost blurted out a disbelieving response, but he held it in, seeing that Minato was still formulating the rest of his thought. 

Minato finally continued, “I’m not upset with you. I just… I missed you.”

Minato looked so lost and sounded so vulnerable, but then he had also said he had missed Akihiko…

Akihiko sputtered, “I’m sorry. I mean, I know it’s my fault because I was the one who was gone, uh, but still… I, yeah, I missed you too,” he said, his voice trailing off. 

Minato looked down at his feet with a grin on his face. 

“Hey, I got something for you,” Minato suddenly said, pulling something out of his pocket and handing it to Akihiko.

“My glove?” Akihiko asked, turning the glove over and seeing dried blood on its leather surface. 

“Yeah. I thought you might want it back.”

“Did… you go back to that floor just for this?”

“It was my fault you took it off, right?” Minato said, absentmindedly touching his hand to his own neck. 

Akihiko flushed, remembering when his hand had touched the same place on Minato’s neck, frantically trying to wipe his blood away. 

_Does he remember that?_

“You didn’t have to do that,” Akihiko said softly, tucking the glove into his pocket.

“You’re welcome.”

“Thank you,” Akihiko said warmly. “But wait, you were just carrying this around with you?”

“Well, yeah. You had to come back eventually,” Minato said, putting his hands back into his pockets. “So, um… where have you been?”

Akihiko would have laughed if he wasn’t so nervous. That was the question everyone had been asking him tonight, and, more importantly, it was the question he had asked Minato just about every time he entered the dorm after him. He had long since made Minato’s business his business without even realizing it. 

And now he wanted Minato’s business to be his business all of the time. 

“I just needed time alone to think. After, you know, what happened…”

“Yeah…”

“You really are upset with me, aren’t you? It- it’s okay if you are. You deserve to be.”

“Hm? I told you I wasn’t.”

“But you’ve barely looked at me this whole time.”

“Ah.” Minato frowned, his posture stiffening. “That’s because… I didn’t want you to see,” he said gingerly.

“Didn’t want me to see what?”

Minato closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, and then he finally turned to face Akihiko. 

Akihiko’s lips parted in surprise as Minato revealed the right side of his face to him, which was much worse for wear. Akihiko quickly catalogued the injuries: a cut that stretched from above mid-eyebrow to his temple, a horribly swollen bruise across the entirety of his cheek, and a small split on the corner of his lips. 

“What happened?” Akihiko asked so softly that if he had spoken a moment later, the sound would have been swallowed up by a clap of thunder.

“I was being reckless again,” Minato said with a chagrined smile.

“But I told you not to do that,” Akihiko said faintly, taking Minato’s chin between his thumb and index finger so he could turn Minato’s head and examine the injuries more thoroughly. 

“I know. But I couldn’t stop thinking about… _things_ , and I needed to stop moping around and _do_ something, and I thought battling Shadows would help, but then I was distracted the whole time…” Minato was clearly embarrassed and fumbling with his thoughts, something Akihiko had never seen before. 

“If I had known that you guys would go to Tartarus without me, or that you would get hurt, I wouldn’t have…”

“No, that’s why I didn’t want you to see,” Minato said, pulling away from Akihiko. “I didn’t want you to blame yourself. I shouldn’t have gone to Tartarus without you. I know how much I rely on you. I was being selfish. I put the others in jeopardy.”

“Then I guess we both owe everyone an apology.”

“Yeah, we do,” Minato said, fidgeting a bit. “So, when you were away thinking, did you come to any conclusions?” 

Akihiko nodded. “I… wish the Reaper hadn’t, er- _interrupted_ , that night.”

Minato’s uncertain expression transformed into something sweet and curious. “What do you mean?"

“I mean… if the Reaper hadn’t come, I could have just, you know, made my feelings clear all in one go, and no one would have gotten hurt.”

“Which feelings?”

“Uh, you know…”

Minato shook his head and said, “Whatever you need to say, I need you to be really clear about it, because right now I feel like… a lunatic, and I’m not gonna be able to pick up on hints or read between the lines. Whatever it is, I can handle it. I just wanna know. I just… I wanna know.”

Akihiko was distinctly not okay with seeing Minato so distressed, so he quickly reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet, and out of his wallet extracting a worn but neatly folded piece of paper. He had felt a little pathetic while he had been writing out the long list of bullet points, but now he was glad he had it. 

After unfolding the paper and taking a couple of deep breaths, Akihiko let out, “Being around you makes me stronger and calmer and happier. It also makes me more of a bumbling idiot, as you’ve clearly witnessed, but that’s a small price to pay to be near you. I don’t understand you half of the time—no one does—but I want to; I want to be that one person who can read you like a book. You’re amazing now, but I have the feeling you’ll only get better with time, and I want to witness who you become, first-hand.” 

Lightning flashed from somewhere behind Akihiko, illuminating everything in gold for a moment, including the wide-eyed look of almost bewilderment that Minato was giving Akihiko.

Akihiko continued, “I want to kick the ass of every Shadow in Tartarus with you. I want to eat beef bowls and cheeseburgers and takoyaki with you. I want to take Koromaru on long, aimless walks with you. I want you cheering for me at all my boxing matches, and I want to come to all your kendo matches, because there’s no one I’d rather root for than you. I don’t want to have to always ask where you’ve been… because I just want to always be with you in the first place.” 

Looking lost, Minato slowly took the paper from Akihiko’s hand and reviewed the bullet points, his eyes darting back and forth over the words.

“Akihiko,” Minato said, sounding sad at first, but then he started to laugh. Now Akihiko was beyond confused, watching helplessly as Minato withdrew his own wallet from his pocket and tucked the paper into the leather bifold with the same care Akihiko assumed he had used while winding his mp3 cords. After pocketing the wallet once more, Minato finally looked up at Akihiko and said, “I had no idea… you had it that bad.”

“ _What?”_ Akihiko exclaimed, his voice coming out much higher than he had anticipated.

“I had no idea you had it as bad as me,” Minato clarified quickly, laughing openly and wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. 

“As bad as you?” Akihiko whispered, realization slowly coming over him. 

“Akihiko…” Minato said slowly, his smile fading into something much more serious as he took Akihiko’s free hand in his. “I’ve had time to think too. All those things you said you want? I want them too. I’m ready, for all of it. I want… all of it.”

Suddenly, that heavy, impulsive, gravity-bound feeling Akihiko had that night in Tartarus returned. Despite how nervous he felt, he pulled on Minato’s hand and stepped closer to him, restraining himself only long enough to read Minato’s face.

As soon as Akihiko saw Minato start to close his eyes and lift his chin a bit, Akihiko panicked, and the umbrella slipped from his shaking hand, landing unceremoniously on top of their heads.

Minato’s eyes bolted open, and then to Akihiko’s dismay, Minato started laughing again. 

“Damn it,” Akihiko said softly, closing his eyes again and pressing his forehead to Minato’s, partially so Minato couldn’t fully see his embarrassed expression. 

Letting the umbrella sit on their heads for a moment, Minato lifted Akihiko’s hand and wrapped it in both of his, making Akihiko even more painfully aware of how much he was shaking. 

“It’s okay; I’ll take over from here,” Minato decided, releasing Akihiko’s hand to take hold of the umbrella and toss it clear across the roof. “Perfect first kiss: attempt number three.”

“Huh?” Akihiko said, somehow more mortified than ever as the heavy rain enveloped them. 

“Put this here, and this here,” Minato instructed teasingly, taking each of Akihiko’s hands and placing them on his own waist.

Without his gloves on, Akihiko could feel right through Minato’s rain-saturated shirt to the warm skin underneath. By now Akihiko was blushing furiously, but he let Minato do what he wanted, trusting him more than he trusted himself at the moment. 

Minato used his thumb to brush his wet bangs out of his eyes, and then he laced his fingers behind Akihiko’s neck. “And I’ll put these here,” Minato said with that otherworldly calm before looking back up into the stormy sky. 

_Maybe I do have an eye for beauty,_ Akihiko thought, finding himself scanning Minato’s features yet again. 

At that moment, the most beautiful thing about Minato was his expression. Even though he was tired and injured and soaked to the bone with rain, he looked calm and confident and almost regal, as if he could release an airy laugh at any moment. 

“Minato?” Akihiko said, blinking the rain out of his eyes and wondering how long Minato was going to make him stand there like that without saying anything.

Lightning struck a ways away, making the world stand still in gold once more, and Akihiko could almost see the calculations going on behind Minato’s eyes.

“…so now thunder is going to hit in about fifteen seconds, so I’ll start to kiss you at around twelve… eight, nine, ten-”

“What?!”

Minato pulled Akihiko’s mouth down to his, tilting his head and kissing him incredibly softly at first, until three seconds later a loud crash of thunder made Akihiko jump and Minato pulled him closer, deepening the kiss as nature exploded around them. 

An embarrassing noise came out of Akihiko’s throat as he gripped Minato’s sides for dear life. 

They pulled apart slowly, and Akihiko saw that oddly peaceful look on Minato’s face again in a situation that was anything but peaceful. And yet, once again, it calmed him like nothing else could. 

Minato opened his eyes with heavy lids, and Akihiko said dazedly, “I guess the third time really is the charm.”

Minato shook his head fervently. “Nope. I think it’s the fourth time.”

“Wha-”

Minato kissed Akihiko again, and as soon as Akihiko’s brain caught up, he started laughing into the kiss. 

Minato pulled away and deadpanned, “You ruined it. Must be the fifth time.”

“Whoa, hey,” Akihiko said, catching Minato’s face in his hand and holding him back for a second. “H-how many times are we gonna do this?”

“Until we find which number is the charm,” Minato answered, affectionately running his thumbs along the back of Akihiko’s neck. “Don’t worry; I can count really high.”

Not reacting immediately to the joke, Akihiko took his time reveling in the moment, moving his fingertips across the heavily-scarred side of Minato’s face, causing him to wince under his touch. 

Akihiko had, after all, not only spent the last few days figuring out his feelings and deciding what to do with them; he had also spent a significant amount of time imagining what it would be like if Minato accepted those feelings, allowing him to be close to him and to touch him and to just stare at him in awe like he was right now. 

To his tremendous joy, his imagination paled in comparison to reality. 

“Okay,” Akihiko conceded with a calm smile, entranced by the light dancing in Minato’s eyes and drawing Minato closer to himself once more. “I’m ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you’re interested, I have a list of songs that helped inspire this fic and that I had playing on repeat while I wrote it:  
> 1.) “The Lightning Strike (What If This Storm Ends?)/The Sunlight Through the Flags/Daybreak” by Snow Patrol  
> 2.) “Yours” by Ella Henderson  
> 3.) “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele  
> 4.) “Invisible” by Linkin Park  
> 5.) “The Fall” by Imagine Dragons  
> 6.) “Say It Now” by We the Kings
> 
> And because I can’t just stop writing these two after two years of immersing myself in their dumb teen boy minds (lol), I am working on a short epilogue-like thing that I will post in this series, so look out for that.


End file.
